Prognosis

Harmless nodes are harmless and have a good prognosis. Fibroadenomas, cysts and mastopathies usually proceed without consequences after the symptoms have subsided. Affected women do not have an increased risk for further diseases.

If the woman suffers from breast cancer, the prognosis depends mainly on the stage at which the cancer was discovered. Early stages, in which the lump is still quite small, has not developed any daughter ulcers and the surrounding lymph nodes are not affected, have a good chance of healing after surgical removal of the cancer with subsequent chemotherapy or radiation. Lymph node infestation or formation of metastases considerably complicates the treatment and reduces the chances of complete recovery. However, the chance of survival in breast cancer has increased continuously in recent years due to improved therapy.

Prophylaxis

As a preventive measure, every woman should palpate her breasts herself at regular intervals to examine the tissue for any changes. Also the check-up visit at the gynecologist should be taken seriously and not be put off for long. Mammograms are not routinely performed, but they can be performed prophylactically in breast cancer risk patients if the gynecologist sees a reason to do so. As in every case, a healthy lifestyle with sufficient exercise, sport and a healthy diet is an important factor in the prevention of disease.

All articles in this series: